4-day BGB-BGP summit starts today

4-day BGB-BGP summit starts today

Against the backdrop of the recent tension along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, which flared after the death of a Bangladeshi border guard, a four-day summit meeting between the two border forces begins in Myanmar today with an aim to improve the border situation.
An eight-member team led by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed left Dhaka yesterday to join the meeting to be held from June 10 to 13 in Myanmarese capital, Nay Pay Taw, says a BGB press release.
Maj Gen Zaw win, chief of Myanmar Border Guard Police, will lead a 13-member team, it said. High officials of the two border forces, and home and foreign ministries of the two countries will join the talks.
On May 28, Myanmar's BGP, in an unprovoked attack, opened fire at BGB patrols in Bandarban's Naikkhangchhari upazila on May 28, killing BGB Nayek Mizanur Rahman. Three days later, on May 31, Myanmar's border force handed over Mizanur's body, easing the tension.
Bangladesh and Myanmar share a 271km border.
BGB has been expressing frustration and disappointment over the BGP for not cooperating and responding to issues raised by BGB over the years and hoped that the summit talks would be an opportunity to sort out issues between the two border forces.
BGB is expected to discuss several issues like exchange of fire at the border, steps to increase confidence in the border forces about each other, containing drug and Yaba trafficking from Myanmar, establishing direct communication between the BGB and BGP commanders, and initiating a "coordinated border management plan".
A "Joint Record of Discussions" will be signed on June 12, the release said.

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